GSA Technology Council

As part of the year-long effort to Create a Shared Upstate Growth Vision, Ten at the Top will be hosting a Regional Vision Summit on Tuesday, September 28, 2010 at the Carolina First Center. This event is free and open to the general public, but you are asked to register in advance beginning in mid-August.

The Regional Vision Summit will serve as an opportunity to receive an update on the feedback gathered from more than 6,000 residents during the recent Shared Growth Vision Survey. But, the primary purpose of the event is not to have participants listen to a series of presentations and speakers. Instead, much of the meeting will be spent receiving feedback from participants and having dialogue between residents, business leaders and elected officials about how they envision the future of South Carolina’s Upstate.

This meeting will serve as the kickoff to the second major community outreach element of the year-long regional visioning effort. Following the Summit, 12 Community Forums will be held across the region during October and November to solicit additional input and feedback from residents about “What Matters Most” as we look toward the future of the Upstate. The full Community Forum schedule will be announced in early August.

REGIONAL VISION SUMMIT
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Carolina First Center

via Ten at the Top

IRWIN® Tools, a manufacturer and marketer of a broad line of professional hand tools and power tool accessories, has selected Jeff Dezen Public Relations (JDPR) to assist in the launch of several new lines of hand tools and power tool accessories and to advance IRWIN’s programs for America’s tradesmen. JDPR will be providing strategic planning and brand support for IRWIN in areas including national trade and consumer media relations, as well as promotional efforts for The Ultimate Tradesman Challenge.

JDPR will be assisting IRWIN with its introduction of new lines of products for its VISE-GRIP® brand, including a wide range of locking pliers and GrooveLock pliers. In addition, JDPR will support the 2010 IRWIN Tools Ultimate Tradesman Challenge, which kicked off on Speed Channel’s NASCAR Trackside on March 19th at Bristol Motor Speedway. The Ultimate Tradesman Challenge is a global competition where skilled tradesmen perform a series of precise tasks in a race against the clock. Twenty-four winners of locally-sponsored events throughout the US and Canada will advance to the North American Finals on Friday, August 20th 2010 at Bristol Motor Speedway. There, top tradesmen will compete for the North American title. The North American winner will advance to the World Finals in March 2011, where the World’s Ultimate Tradesman will have a chance to win $1 million.

“JDPR is a welcome addition to the IRWIN team,” stated Curt Rahilly, IRWIN’s Vice President of Marketing. “After a rigorous competitive search, we selected JDPR because of their strategic insights and their demonstrated capabilities in our channels of business. They know our industry, and we are confident they will help us elevate our brand among tradesmen.”

via JDPR

Friedrichshafen, Germany – July 22, 2010 – Gov. Mark Sanford today joined ZF Group in Friedrichshafen, Germany to announce the company’s decision to expand its operations in South Carolina. ZF Group plans to invest approximately $350 million in a new manufacturing facility in Laurens County to produce fuel-efficient automatic transmissions for the passenger car and light truck market.

The announcement was made following a meeting at ZF’s corporate headquarters in Friedrichshafen that included members of ZF’s Board of Management and officials from the South Carolina Department of Commerce.

“ZF’s decision to make a jobs and capital investment of this magnitude, indeed the largest single infusion of jobs in the history of Laurens County, is an incredible compliment to our state. This announcement represents not only enormously good news for our state’s economy, but also is a telling dividend from our continued efforts to better the business climate in South Carolina. Our meeting with ZF today was productive and offered a real glimpse of what is headed to our state with ZF’s new operations, and I’d join with South Carolinians in thanking ZF for their investment. We are proud to count ZF among a growing and distinguished list of companies that have chosen to call South Carolina home,” said Gov. Mark Sanford.

ZF already operates manufacturing facilities in South Carolina, and has been gradually growing its presence in the state, thanks to its proximity to major transportation hubs, competitive business environment and skilled workforce. The new transmission plant is expected to employ 900 workers by the year 2015.

“We are eager to build our fuel-efficient automatic transmissions in North America. We believe the increasing emphasis on fuel economy and our reputation for producing high-quality, fuel-efficient transmissions provide an unprecedented opportunity to grow our business. We believe this production facility could serve as a key driver of this growth,” says Dr. Gerhard Wagner, Group Executive of ZF’s Car Driveline Division.

ZF expects to begin construction of its new, Laurens County facility in January. Hiring is anticipated to begin in early 2012 for skilled positions that include CNC operators, assemblers, production and logistics. The state’s worker training program, readySC*, will assist in the hiring process, Information will be posted at www.sctechjobs.com as jobs become available.

ZF is a leading worldwide automotive supplier for Driveline and Chassis Technology, with 123 production locations in 27 countries. In 2009, the ZF Group achieved sales of approximately 9.4 billion € with 60,000 employees.

Architecture and interior design firm, McMillan Pazdan Smith, has retained Merge to create and deliver a high-impact email marketing campaign. The campaign will highlight the national firm’s recent awards and case studies, as well as their broad range of expertise.

“From their comprehensive and collaborative strategies, to their steadfast belief that functional and beautiful are not mutually exclusive, McMillan Pazdan Smith’s unique approach to design has resulted in several awards over the past decade,” said Matt McFadden, Business Development Manager of Merge. “It is an honor to help highlight these awards, as well as the firm’s tremendous body of work.”

McMillan Pazdan Smith has established a reputation for strong fiscal stewardship, effective project management, and creative and imaginative design solutions for both public and private clients.  The firm has been published nationally and is a frequent award winner on local, regional and national levels.  Their areas of expertise include planning and design for campus, community, healthcare, K-12, urban and retail buildings, along with specialized services for historic preservation, and sustainable design initiatives.

via Merge

Expand your professional network with other Women In Technology. The July UWIT meeting is a special networking event for all Upstate Women In Technology. The entire session is dedicated to helping women in technology get to know each other. Bring some cards, a 30 second intro for yourself, and some interest in meeting others. This is a special session with a special price and a different location for this event only. Make plans to attend!

Location: ITT Technical Institute
6 Independence Pointe
Greenville, SC 29615 US

When: Thursday, July 22nd, 12:00PM

Phone: (864) 675-1592

The cost to attend will only be $5.00 for a full buffet (with dessert!)

RSVP by Monday, July 19th to Jill Rose at jill.rose@acentron.com or at 864-675-1592.

via: Upstate Women In Technology

In this podcast, Dean Hybl, Executive Director of Ten At The Top discusses his organization’s efforts to start a discussion on the growth of Upstate South Carolina. The area has experienced both growth and sprawl. Other communities have discovered that controls will affect how a region grows can reduce the problems uncontrolled growth can bring. Dean has worked with communities in Florida to discuss and address these very issues and is now working with Upstate businesses to develop a plan for the beneficial expansion of our area.

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Monthly events connect Greenville, Columbia, and Charleston.

The Tech After Five Professional Networking events that have been popular in Upstate South Carolina for years have now spread across the state.

“July will mark the fourth monthly event in Columbia, and the second in Charleston” says event coordinator, Phil Yanov. “We have been received warmly as we coordinate our efforts with a number of existing organizations across the state.”

The goal of Tech After Five is to bring high tech professionals and business owners together on first a regional basis and then across the state to build the networks they need to advance their careers and businesses.

“We ask people what they need, print it on their badge, hand them a drink and put them in their mission in a room full of people that are interested in helping as much as being helped. It’s a formula that makes things happen.” says Yanov.

The events are offered free of charge to those who register online at http://www.TechAfterFive.com.

About Tech After Five:

Now in it’s third year, Tech After Five connects tech professionals, business owners, and enthusiasts in a series of connected networking events offered free of charge to attendees. Through targeted invitations, and facilitated networking activities, attendees are encouraged to create new professional relationships, strengthen existing relationships, and to also act as networking hub for others seeking expertise. Events are held monthly in Greenville, Columbia, and Charleston, SC. More information at http://www.TechAfterFive.com

The Carolina First South Carolina Room of the Greenville County Library System has published the second edition of its Greenville County Driving Tour of Historic Sites. The full color, 48-page booklet offers residents and visitors alike a journey through time into Greenville County history. The publication presents three leisurely routes through the county: Northern Tour, Downtown Tour and Southern Tour along with images and historical background about each of the 53 locations from the Carolina First South Carolina Room’s archives.

The Greenville County Driving Tour of Historic Sites can be purchased for $4.00 at any library location, the Carolina First South Carolina Room, the Friends Shop at the Hughes Main Library and select retailers in the area. The Greenville County Driving Tour of Historic Sites was produced through the generous support of the Friends of the Greenville County Library System.

The Carolina First South Carolina Room is located at the Hughes Main Library at 25 Heritage Green Place, Greenville, SC 29601.
via: Greenville County Library

Verizon Wireless and Samsung Electronics Corporation announced that the Samsung N150™ netbook is available for order today. The Samsung N150 combines a sleek design with up to seven hours of battery life and built-in Verizon Wireless Mobile Broadband network connectivity.

Lifestyle features

Powerful Intel® Atom™ N450 1.66 GHz processor and Windows® 7 Starter that run multiple applications and deliver great performance

· Built-in connectivity to the nation’s largest and most reliable 3G network

· Global Ready with a pre-installed SIM Card for access in more than 200 countries, more than 110 with 3G speeds

· Built-in chargeable USB port that serves as a charger for mobile devices even when the Samsung N150 is turned off

· Samsung Support Center provides a single hub for Samsung performance applications such as online customer support, recovery and backup, and troubleshooting

Additional specifications:

Weight: 2.73 pounds

· Size: 10.4” x 7.4” x 1.05”

· Stylish, glossy black finish with rounded edges for user comfort

· 93 percent full-size keyboard for easy typing

· Memory: up to 1 GB DDR2

· Screen: 10.1” non-glare LCD WSVGA LED backlight

· Resolution: 1024 x 600

· Graphics: Intel GMA 3150

· Webcam

· External VGA (15-pin) port

· Stereo speakers

· Memory card slot: 3-in-1 Multi Memory Card (SD/SDHC/MMC)

· Hard drive: 160 GB 5400 RPM (max)

· Mobile Broadband radio/frequency bands: CDMA/1X/EV-DO Rev. A: 800/1900 MHz; UMTS/HSPA: 850/1900/2100 MHz; GSM/GPRS/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz

· Wi-Fi®: 802.11 b/g/n

· LAN: 10/100 Ethernet

· Battery: 6 cell (4,4000mAh) that delivers up to seven hours of battery life on a single charge

· Bluetooth® connectivity: Bluetooth V2.1 + EDR

Pricing and availability:

· The Samsung N150 is available for order today in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores for $49.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted. A promotional price of $29.99 with a new two-year customer agreement is available at www.verizonwireless.com/netbooks.

· Customers will need to choose one of the following Mobile Broadband plan options:

o $39.99 monthly access for 250 MB monthly allowance and $0.10/MB overage

o $59.99 monthly access for 5 GB monthly allowance and $0.05/MB overage

o Prepaid Mobile Broadband plans are also available:

§ $15 for 75 MB (one day of use)

§ $30 for 250 MB (one week of use)

§ $50 for 500 MB (one month of use)

· Customers traveling abroad can sign up for one of the following GlobalAccess plans:

o GlobalAccess Monthly Plan, which starts at $129.99 for monthly access (5 GB allowance for the United States and Canada, $0.05/MB overage) with 100 MB allowance in select destinations ($0.005/KB after allowance). Customers who require higher usage when traveling abroad can take advantage of the $219.99 monthly access plan that offers 200 MB allowance with the same rates for overage as the $129.99 plan.

o GlobalAccess Pay Per Use for occasional use must be purchased with a $59.99 Mobile Broadband service plan in the United States. The Pay Per Use rate is $0.002/KB in Canada, $0.005/KB in Mexico, and $0.02/KB in more than 200 other destinations.

· For additional information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.
via: Verizon Wireless

EDTS, LLC, a full-service technology consulting firm, specializing in networking, security, and managed services support solutions for business, has announced the addition of Shea Blackston as a Strategic Account Manager to its rapidly growing team. Ms. Blackston is a native of North Augusta, South Carolina and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Integrated Marketing Communications from Winthrop University. She has over nine years of experience in marketing and media production and previously owned her own company specializing in event marketing and production, copywriting, and small business consulting. Ms. Blackston will serve EDTS clients across Upstate South Carolina and Western North Carolina from EDTS’s Greenville, SC office. “Increasing the EDTS sales and service staff is key to developing our regional presence and expanding into new markets,” said Charles Johnson, EDTS President and CEO. “Shea is an experienced professional with a strong focus on client satisfaction and needs analysis, and will be instrumental in growing our client base in the Greenville and Augusta regions.”
via: EDTS